Mail bag or pouch.



No; 662,953. 'Patented Dec. 4, I900. J. MAY.

MAIL BAG 0B POUCH.

(Application filed list. 26, 1900.:

(No Model.)

Elnuamfoz Gbtozueqo 1 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAIL BAG OR POUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,953, dated December 4, 1900. Application filed March 26,1900. Serial No.10,239. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. MAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Mail Bag or Pouch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mail bags or pouches, and more particularly to that class in which the corners of the mouth are folded diagonally inward and then transversely and secured by means 'of a staple and lock; and it has for its object to produce a device of this kind in which the fold of the material upon the proper lines will be greatly facilitated and also to increase the capacity and convenience of the bag and at the same time add to its strength and security in closing the mouth.

With this object in view my invention consists in the improved construction of a mailbag, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the views in which they occur, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of my improved mail-bag open. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same partly closed. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same entirely closed; and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View on the line 4 4 of Fig. l, the same being shown partially closed indotted lines.

In handling mail-matter it is often of the greatest importance that the bags used for transporting the mails be opened and closed very quickly in order to enable the mail-clerk to take in the mail-sack at one station, open it, distribute the mail; and close the bag for the succeeding station, and especially where the stations are located close together, as frequently occurs in different sections of the country. In the class of mail-bags to which my invention appertains it is very important that the material comprising the bag be folded equally to cause the gromets or perforations at the end of the sack to properly register with the staple, which must pass through them and which is fastened in that position by means of a staple and lock. After the bags have been used for a length of time in the mail service the material of which they are composed becomes so flexible that the original fold is virtually blotted out and the cloth is as liable to fold in one place as another, thereby rendering it more difficult to cause the gromets or openings to register with the staple. To overcome this objection and to cause the material at the mouth of the bag to always fold upon the proper line, I form the mail-bag of two kinds of material, the material forming the main portion 1 of the bag being of a heavy material and that comprising the cap 2 or portion forming the mouth of the sack being of a lighter or more flexible material. The upper portion of the, body at each corner is cut away, as shown at 3, upon a line on which it is desired to have the mouth of the bag folded, thereby forming substantially pointed or tapering portions 4 and 5, the front one of which, 4, may be shorter than the other one and can be made so by cutting it off upon a line 11, on which the transverse fold of the mouth is made when closing the bag.

The cap portion of the bag is preferably formed of the same width as the main portion, so as to form an extension of the same, and is secured to the main portion preferably upon the inside thereof, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4, and has its upper edge extended for the reception of the gromets or openings 6. Each extension preferably commences near the edge of the bag, so as to leave the front of the cap or the portion between the front extensions open or unobstructed, and thereby facilitate the filling of the bag when it is hung upon the rack. The opposite or rear ends of the extensions terminate adjacent to each other upon opposite sides of the center, so as to avoid unnecessary thicknesses of material when the parts are folded together for closing the bag. By terminating the front extensions nearer the edges of the cap than the rear extensions the gromets in the central portions of the rear extensions can be passed over the fastener on the front of the bag without interfering with the front portion of the cap. If desired, the portion of the extension between the "two rear gromets upon each side may be cut away without detracting materially from the utility of my invention.

The front and rear portions of the bag are provided with gromets or openings 6 to register with the openings 6 when the bag is closed.

Rigidly secured to the shorter tapering portion 4, substantially midway between the sides of the bag, is a transversely-arranged staple '7, which projects outwardly from the outer surface thereof a sufficient distance to pass through all of the gromets when the bag is closed and permit of the insertion of any desired lock 8 in the usual manner. By 10- cating the staple transversely of the bag instead of longitudinally each leg will stand at a greater or less distance from the center line of the bag, thereby increasing the inability of gaining access to the mouth of the sack over the closure formed by the longitudinallyarranged staple, as the legs of the staple are located nearer to the top of the cap when the bag is closed. It also facilitates the ease with which the staple can be made to pass through the gromets by permitting the movement of the corners of the cap longitudinally of the bag instead of transversely, as would have to be done with the longitudinally-arranged staple. By arranging the staple in this manner and securing it to the outer surface of the mail-bag when closed the capacity of the bag is increased, because the bag is open upon the interior entirely up to the upper edge of the portion 4 instead of being closed at the lower end of the staple, as would be the case if the staple were secured to the back portion of the bag and projected through the front portion. It also permits of the fold being made with a shorter cap, as the top of the cap would terminate at a greater distance from the center line than with a horizontally-arranged staple, as the distance from the cap to the opposite side of the staple would be spanned or covered by the extension. A label-holder 9 can be secured to the base of the staple in the usual manner and provided with a flexible tab 10 at the upper end for fitting over the top of the holder and preventing the accidental removal of the label or station-tag from the holder. As above described, it will be seen that I have produced a mail-bag which can be manufactured very cheaply and which will possess great strength and durability and which can be opened and closed very readily. The removal'of the look from the staple will permit of the removal of the gromets therefrom in opening the sack, and the difference in the flexibility of the material comprising the mouth of the sack will facilitate the closing of the same, as the material will virtually fold automatically along the proper lines when the corners are turned in and the upper portion is turned down over the staple.

To increase the efficiency and usefulness of my improved mail-bag, I prefer to add to the facility for the automatic folding of the cap by covering the edges of the heavy material upon one or both sides with binding or a reinforcing-strip 11, of webbing, leather, or other suitable material, which is preferably doubled over the raw edge of the heavy material formed by cutting off the corners, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4. In this manner the rigidity of the heavier material upon the line of the fold is increasedand at the same time the appearance is improved and the durability is increased by covering over the raw edges of the bag. Another means for causing the material to fold upon the line and also to add to the strength and durability of the bag is by sewing or otherwise suitably securing to each corner of the upper portion of the body substantially triangular reinforci ngpieces 12,which are preferably located directly below the cut-away portion 3. I also prefer to reinforce the extension at each gromet or opening by means of a piece of leather or other suitable material 13, through which the innerend of the gromet projects and against which it is riveted, thereby avoiding the necessity of the usual metallic lining or washer against which the gromet is flanged.

When constructed in the foregoing manner, my improved mail-bag will possess all the facilities and advantages possessed by those now in use and can be closed more quickly and securely, and will thus add to the facility With which the mail can be handled. The usual handles can be secured at the upper and lower ends for handling the bag, and the gromets at the upper end will permit of the bag being held upon the rack for filling in the usual manner.

If desired, the more flexible material could be secured to the outer surface of the main portion or body of the bag, thereby placing the raw edges of the cut-away portion upon the interior, which would avoid the necessity or desirability of binding the same with the reinforcing-strip. I also reserve to myself the right to make such other changes and alterations in the construction of my improved mail bag, or pouch as will come within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folded-end mail-bag, the combination, With a main portion of one kind of material, of a cap of a more flexible material secured thereto, the upper corners of the main portion being cut away, thereby forming tapering front and rear portions, and the top of the cap being provided with front and rear extensions, the front extensions being separated so as to leave an open space in the center of the top edge of the cap, substantially as described.

2. In a folded-end mail-bag, the combination, with a main portion of one kind of material, of a cap of a more flexible material secured thereto, the top of the cap being provided with gromets and cut away at the central front and rear edges, the front space being wider than the rear space, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

3. In a folded-end mail-bag, the combination, with a main portion of one kind'of material, of a cap of a more flexible material secured thereto, the top of the cap being provided with front and rear extensions, each of said extensions commencing near the edges but terminating short of the center of the cap so as to leave an open space at that point, the front space being wider than the rear space, substantially as described.

4;. In a folded-end mail-bag, the combination, with a main portion of one kind of material, of a cap of amore flexible material secured thereto, the upper corners of the main portion being cut away upon the lines of the fold, thereby forming tapering portions, the front portion being shorter than the rear and the upper edge of the cap being provided with extensions, and provided with gromets or openings, and a transversely-arranged staple rigidly secured to the shorter tapering portion and projecting outwardly for the reception of the gromets of the cap, substantially as described.

5. In a mail-bag, the combination, with a main portion, each of the upper corners of which is cut away diagonally of a cap of more- 

